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Rochelle Park Board approves 2025–26 contracts, staffing and care-program rates
Summary
At its May 20, 2025 meeting, the Rochelle Park Board of Education approved vendor contracts (Delta Dental, Pomptonian), multiple personnel appointments, and new 2025–26 before- and aftercare rates; the board also accepted a PTO donation and heard school updates and safety presentations.
The Rochelle Park Board of Education met May 20, 2025, in the Midland School Media Center and approved a package of contracts, personnel appointments and program fees for the 2025–26 school year.
The board approved payment of bills and mandatory payments through May 15 totaling $965,284.66. Business Administrator and Board Secretary Michele Rainere presented finance items and contract renewals, including a Delta Dental of New Jersey renewal with monthly premiums effective July 1, 2025 (one-party $60.14; two-party $108.02; three-party $196.74) and a renewed food-service management agreement with The Pomptonian, Inc. The Pomptonian agreement includes an administrative/management fee (FSMC) of $21,980 to be billed in 10 monthly installments and a total estimated contract cost of $247,457.48.
The board approved a fundraiser for the Special Olympics team and accepted a Midland School PTO donation of $877.60 for indoor recess games and outdoor equipment. The board also approved a facilities-use request from Operation K-9 Beethoven—Alliance Therapy Dogs for an in-school therapy-dog educational program, contingent on satisfactory insurance and facilities-use documentation.
On personnel, the board approved administrative appointments for the 2025–26 school year, including Cara Hurd as Director of Curriculum and Instruction (salary listed as $132,954*, prorated to $106,363 at 80%) and Jessica DiCori as Supervisor of Special Services (salary listed as $115,000). The board approved multiple support-staff and program appointments, summer work authorizations, chaperone stipends for the eighth-grade trip, related-services summer providers (PT/OT/Speech) and a Fairfield University school-psychology intern placement.
The board set 2025–26 Care Program rates for K–8 and PreK‑4. Examples include K–8 before care (5 days) $1,561/year ($156.10 monthly) and K–8 after care (3:00–4:30 PM, 5 days) $2,340/year ($234.00 monthly); extended aftercare (to 6:00 PM, 5 days) $3,382/year ($338.20 monthly). PreK‑4 rates were also adopted (example: PreK‑4 before care 5 days $1,752/year; PreK‑4 aftercare Session II 5 days $4,150/year). Registration and drop-in fees were specified in the adopted schedule.
Dr. Courtney Carmichael, Midland School principal, read honor-roll names and highlighted spring-school activities and student achievements, noting that the music department won “Best Music Community” for the second consecutive year. The board also heard reports on testing completion and safety programs, including bicycle and walking-safety presentations by EZ Ride.
Votes at a glance
- Routine matters (R1–R4: approval of minutes, attendance report, drills, HIB report): motion by Joseph DeFalco, second Elaine Rainone; roll call 6–0; approved. - Administration handbooks and discipline chart (A1–A2): motion by Joseph DeFalco, second Joseph Marolda; roll call 6–0 on the listed items; A1–C & A2 were noted as tabled where indicated in the minutes. - Curriculum items (C1–C3: professional development, field trips, EZ Ride presentation): motion by Elaine Rainone, second Joseph DeFalco; roll call 6–0; approved. - Finance bundle (F1–F8): motion by Joseph DeFalco, second Joseph Marolda; roll calls: F1–F4 and F6–F8 recorded 6–0; F5 (donation acceptance) recorded 5–0–1 with Michele Jacob abstaining; motions carried. - Personnel package (P1–P9): motion by Joseph DeFalco, second Joseph Marolda; P1–P2 recorded 4–0–2 (Joseph DeFalco and Elaine Rainone abstained on P1–P2); P3–P9 recorded 6–0; motions carried. A walk-on resolution (P6b) to hire a BSI substitute for the remainder of the school year was read and approved.
Why it matters
The actions adopted set the district’s vendor relationships, staff roster and tuition/fee schedules that will govern operations and family costs in 2025–26. The Pomptonian FSMC fee and the total estimated food-service contract affect projected food-service expenses. Care-program rates will determine family charges for before- and after-school care and were adopted with specific registration and drop-in fees.
What’s next
The board scheduled its next regular meeting for June 17, 2025 (Executive Session 6:00 PM; Regular Meeting 7:30 PM) in the Midland School Media Center. No executive session was held on May 20; the meeting adjourned at 8:09 PM.
